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Review content:
My husband and I went to Magnolia's for the first time last night. After reading a lot of the reviews on this site, I was a little nervous as to what we would be getting. I'm glad to say it's no where near as horrible as some of the experiences here, but not nearly as fabulous as some experiences, either. The hostess and waitstaff were friendly, if a little formal (which for me, is a good thing). It was just as loud as naysayers here have said, not very romantic. First courses were foie gras for me, bacon salad for my husband. The foie gras was not well balanced with its accompanying flavors; it ended up being far too heavy. It reminded me of a spinach salad, but one that was trying too hard, and failing. My husband's dish was also too overwhelming with flavors. We love complexity and inventiveness in our food, but this seemed like it was just complexity without a purpose. Second course: I had halibut with spring veggies; husband had veal. Presentation was beautiful, but the food was tepid (as so many other people here have said.) The marriage between my halibut and accompanying pea puree with herbs was divine nonetheless. However, my husband's veal was tough and overcooked. When the server asked how our meals were, he looked genuinely shocked when we told him the veal had been tough. That was the only moment of pretentiousness that I got from the staff. Dessert was goat cheese cheesecake with fruit confit, about which I had my reservations, but it was fabulous. The savory cheese coupled with the sweetness of the fruit very nicely and the textures played well together. Portions were appropriately sized. So, if you've never been to Magnolia, it's worth a try, but some advice: expect it to be LOUD, expect to pay a lot of money, expect some hits and some misses with the food. Also, be sure and combine all flavors available on the plate with each bite. I'm glad I went, but I've had better food from other ""gourmet"" restaurants; I won't be going back.
Pros: Great dessert, inventive flavors
Cons: Too loud, low scale atmosphere, overpriced and overhyped
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